Daniel Bell-Drummond hit a fluent century as Kent enjoyed the best day of their season at the start of the Rothesay County Championship Division 2 match against Derbyshire at Canterbury on Friday.
Kent’s captain hit 23 fours and a six in his 129, and enjoyed a 126-run stand with Chris Benjamin, who made 56.
Derbyshire’s Rory Haydon took 5-82 but, having put Kent in, it was a disappointing day for the visitors, who bowled too loosely after reducing Kent to 93-4.
Shoaib Bashir bowled nine overs for 29 without taking a wicket while England’s Zak Crawley made an entertaining 44 but still hasn’t made a half-century this term.
Bell-Drummond said: “It was good fun, good to get a big score and, hopefully, it’s put us in a good position to bowl well tomorrow at them.
“I’m happy all round, really happy with the position we’re in and happy with how I played.
“When there’s a few difficult results, you want to get things right and the guys have been working really hard. There’s some quality players in that dressing room so we know it’s going to turn around for us.
“I always want to lead from the front. It’s not been the most straightforward start personally and, obviously, a very tricky start for the team, as well, (but) I was in good form and felt in a good rhythm. I just wanted to cash in and keep the pressure on the bowlers.
“It’s not been a straightforward start but, hopefully, things can turn around. The Canterbury public played their part, as well. They turned out in force today.
“Chris Benjamin has started the season brilliantly, coming into the team and, yeah, he’s been so consistent throughout pre-season, coming into the Championship season. He adds a lot of steel.
“It’s great that he got 50-odd and, no doubt, he’ll keep wanting to get bigger scores, as well.
“It’s pretty evenly-poised.
“We’re very happy we’ve got a score after being put in, we’ve got some good players and we’ve got to hit the ground running tomorrow and make sure we start well and try and make use of the conditions as much as possible.”
Kent started well, despite losing Ben Dawkins – in for the injured Ben Compton – when he was caught and bowled by Haydon for six.
Crawley had looked in decent touch, producing some punishing cover drives, before he was bowled middle stump as he tried to drive Martin Andersson (1-32).
It was still looking like Kent’s session until Ben Aitchison (2-94) took a wicket with his first ball, getting Sam Northeast caught by Caleb Jewell at second slip for 28.
Zak Chappell (2-114) then strangled Tawanda Muyeye for nine just before lunch.
Ekansh Singh and Bell-Drummond made a bright start to the afternoon session with a stand worth 54.
That was broken when Haydon had the former lbw for 20 and Bell-Drummond narrowly survived when he was on 41. A Haydon delivery hit his hand and he just managed to paddle it clear before it hit the stumps.
He cashed in with some style and swept Aitchison to backward square to reach three figures – 12 years after he made his last century against Derbyshire at the same venue.
The Kent balcony erupted with joy and Benjamin – Kent’s most consistent batsmen this season – took a single from the same bowler to reach 50, leaving Kent 265-5 at tea.
Haydon had Benjamin lbw soon after, however, while Bell-Drummond finally went when he cut Andersson to Chappell.
Joey Evison pulled Chappell for six. But he was out for 21 when he slashed Aitchison to Andersson at backward point and Keith Dudgeon bludgeoned a quick 13 before he edged Haydon to first slip, where Wayne Madsen held on to a chance that was travelling at high speed – for his 400th catch in all formats.
A crowd of nearly 1,200 cheered when Jas Singh hit the single that gave Kent a third bonus point, but the innings was wrapped up when Haydon sent Singh’s off-stump flying to bring up his maiden five-wicket haul.
Jewell narrowly avoided playing on to Milnes (0-12) in a tricky five-over spell before stumps.
But the visitors’ gamble on not using a night-watchman paid off, with Harry Came and Jewell on 16 and eight not out, respectively.
Report via ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay
